Thurso councillor caught up in Catalonia voting chaos

Karl Rosie with 82-year-old Hector Hernandez who had been outside one of the Barcelona polling stations for three hours prior to it opening.

HORRIFIED and humbled are the two contrasting emotions a Caithness councillor said he felt in the chaos of this week’s Catalonia referendum.

Karl Rosie was on a visit to Barcelona as a guest of the Catalan government where there were violent scenes as police closed polling stations and confiscated ballot boxes on Sunday during a referendum declared illegal by courts.

But Mr Rosie had nothing but praise for the “peaceful” response of the Catalan people, who he said were determined to make their voices heard and use their vote peacefully.